


If You Were a Pokémon (I’d Choose You)

by orphan_account



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Multi, Pokemon - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 10:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11146518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He doesn't want to be Pika-Jun anymore.





	If You Were a Pokémon (I’d Choose You)

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story.
> 
> Cross-posted (elsewhere) on AO3 as part of the Suhoney fic fest.
> 
> If you enjoy this, let me know!

Despite being a total lightweight—and as such completely drunk of his ass the first time he walks into Kris’ shop—there are still a few things that instantly stand out to him:

This Kris dude looks uncannily familiar. Junmyeon’s just a little too wasted to figure out why.

This Kris dude is hot. Like, _smoking_. Which, considering the image he’s projecting with his head shaved to nearly bald and every inch of all the skin Junmyeon can see covered in tattoos, he might actually smoke. Cigarettes. Not, like, physically or anything.

This Kris dude is badass. (See aforementioned haircut and tattoos.) That might also be an eyebrow piercing winking at Junmyeon through the room’s dusky lighting? Sadly he’s not quite his best at the moment, so it’s hard to tell the difference between reality and mere wishful thinking. (Because, hell yeah, Junmyeon hopes that’s an eyebrow piercing. More like Junmyeon’s dick is hoping that for him at the moment, but whatever. Semantics.)

“See?” Baekhyun leans in to make sure Junmyeon can hear his stage whisper and nearly topples them both over when Junmyeon steps away at the last second and Baekhyun loses his balance. “Told you this was a good idea,” he says with an eyebrow he thinks is subtle raised to Kris who’s watching them carefully with his arms crossed over his chest and his expression bemused.

Junmyeon nods dumbly, his awe over Kris’ terrifying badassery losing out to his heightened libido. Perhaps he should have stopped with bottle number five after all. But then Junmyeon remembers that _he_ didn’t stop when cheating on Junmyeon while Junmyeon was home for a visit with his parents, and that _he_ didn’t stop when breaking Junmyeon’s heart. In that case, he probably could have drunk a lot more than the nine bottles he and Baekhyun ended up consuming together.

Unfortunately Baekhyun is just as lightweight a drinker as Junmyeon, so they were both pretty far gone by the time they decided Junmyeon needed to do something drastic to get over his bastard ex. “You need a tramp stamp,” an already tipsy Baekhyun told him, back at the pojangmacha they’d stumbled to after leaving the club where they’d started the night. The collection of drinking tents was just down the block from Kris’ tattoo shop, so Baekhyun’s suggestion seemed sort of like fate. Junmyeon isn’t too sure about needles though, and he informs Kris of this through a sudden onslaught of drunken giggles.

“They’re scary,” he pouts. The face is cute when he’s sober, so Junmyeon has no doubt it will work just as well when he’s not. Lucky for him, it seems to do the trick because Kris uncrosses his arms and leans forward across reception desk.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. But,” he claps his large hands together once and Junmyeon jumps in surprise. “What can I do for you,” he smirks and ends with a teasing, “ladies?”

“Tramp stamp!” Baekhyun reiterates loudly, just as Junmyeon’s laughter peals through the shop again. He’s not a lady, and if his sister heard him laughing she’d probably hit him for being sexist, but he’s drunk and this Kris dude is funny, okay. Add that to the list.

Kris nods, thankfully, and doesn’t mock Baekhyun’s choice for Junmyeon’s tattoo. “And what design were you thinking?” he asks, attention on Baekhyun since he’s been most vocal about the whole thing.

Baekhyun shakes his head and the movement has him swaying dangerously. He sees a stool behind the desk, next to where Kris is standing, and breaks all sort of acceptable customer behavior by walking around the reception area and collapsing onto the seat with a sigh. “Not for me,” he says, face pressed against the cool glass covering the display of tattoo designs and jewelry for piercing. He waves a hand at Junmyeon as Kris chuckles deeply and Junmyeon shivers pleasantly at the sound. “ _Pika_ -Jun.”

Junmyeon squeaks at the nickname—“I told you not to call me that, Baek!”—but when Kris smiles at him Junmyeon loses his annoyance instantly. “ _He_ called me that,” Junmyeon informs Kris solemnly, not at all concerned that he’s basically airing all of his dirty laundry to a total stranger.

“That cheating bastard,” Baekhyun grumbles into the glass. Kris hums in understanding then and his lips dip into a frown that neither of the other two notices. He repeats his earlier question, this time to Junmyeon.

“What design were you thinking?”

“I want a Bulbasaur,” he decides on the spot about something he’s secretly been sort of considering for months now. He lifts his shirt with difficulty—the clingy material does a lot to show off his abs under strobe lights but right now it’s just in the way—and points to the cleft of pale skin where his lower back meets his ass. “Here,” he says.

Baekhyun coughs something that sounds like a satisfied “Tramp stamp” but his words are smothered since he’s still half-asleep on the display and Junmyeon’s having an increasingly hard time concentrating.

Kris, as he has since Baekhyun and Junmyeon first barged in fifteen minutes earlier, looks amused. “Reclaiming Pokémon for yourself, huh?” Junmyeon shrugs. “But Bulbasaur though?”

At that Junmyeon frowns. Kris is hot, sure, but what he just said is completely insulting. “I’m a herbologist! And Bulby grows a seed on his back! It’s symmetry, poetry.”

“Perfection!” Baekhyun comments, like he’s heard this rant before. (He probably has.)

“Herbologist? Like Neville?” Kris walks around the desk to tower over Junmyeon who’s sort of started swaying too. Instead of answering the teasing question, Junmyeon accidentally says out loud that he wouldn’t mind losing his balance if he ended up in Kris’ arms. Kris chuckles again and Junmyeon swears his insides are vibrating at how deep it is.

“Sorry,” he tells Junmyeon with a pointed glance at Baekhyun. “I don’t do drunks.”

There’s a disappointed “Damn it!” from behind the desk and Junmyeon feels his eyes filling with tears. “I don’t want to be _Pika_ -Jun anymore,” he whispers, totally devastated.

Kris grabs Junmyeon by the shoulders when the smaller man takes a sudden drop dive toward the floor. “Tell you what,” he offers, holding Junmyeon up until he’s confident that the other can stand on his own again. “If you’re serious about wanting this tattoo, Mr. Herbologist, come back when you’re sober and I’ll do it myself.”

Junmyeon’s too far gone to realize that Kris is actually the tattoo shop owner and that his skills are in high demand with wealthy clientele from all over the city. He just barely manages a sniffly and disappointed “Yeah, okay, fine,” before he turns to Baekhyun. “Byun Baek,” he warns, feeling sleepy himself, “If you’re not up and over here in 30 seconds I’m leaving you to get home on your own.”

Baekhyun’s gasp and indignant “You wouldn’t!” are enough to get Junmyeon smiling again. He even tosses a wave over his shoulder as he and Baekhyun walk out to catch a cab, and Kris finds himself smiling too when Junmyeon adds a confident “See you later, Mr. Sexy Tattoo Man!”

~~~

The door jingles above Junmyeon’s head as he pushes his way into the tattoo shop. It’s been a week since the last time he was here, except now the brightness of an early spring afternoon is shining through the windows and Junmyeon’s decidedly more sober. He recalls his last meeting with the tattoo artist who owns the place and only just stops himself from scurrying back out when Kris himself looks up from the reception and greets him.

“Mr. Herbologist!” Kris says, by way of a hello. He’s just as attractive during the day as he was in the middle of the night. It’s sort of upsetting too that he’s even sexier when Junmyeon’s penchant for alcohol isn’t clouding his judgment. (And yes, that’s definitely an eyebrow piercing. Dear god, help him.)

Junmyeon colors in embarrassment. “I’m an _herbalist_ , actually.” Kris raises an eyebrow and Junmyeon explains. “I own a traditional medicine shop. Family business.”

Kris’ upper arms bulge as he places his palms against the desk glass and leans forward. “And here I was hoping you were secretly a wizard.” Junmyeon resists the urge to face palm, though the fact that the borderline terrifying tattoo shop owner knew enough about Harry Potter to get Junmyeon’s drunken reference is kind of endearing. At least until Kris adds with a smirk, “Not that I’d expect anything less adorably nerdy from someone who wanted a cutesy Pokémon tattooed on his ass.”

Indignant, Junmyeon sniffs. He is _not_ adorable and Bulbasaur is _not_ cute. Kris is just misinformed. “Lower back,” he corrects with disdain. “And Bulbasaur is bad ass.”

Kris raises his hands in apology. “Sorry, sorry.” He gives Junmyeon a once over and the intensity of his gaze makes Junmyeon feel positively tiny. (That might also be the general effect of Kris’ eyebrows. Either way, Junmyeon feels like he’s suddenly back in high school and has just been sent to the principal’s office.)

“Does that mean you’re serious about this tattoo thing, then?” Kris clarifies, reminding Junmyeon of the offering he made the last time Junmyeon was in his shop. When Junmyeon nods, indeed serious, Kris scratches his chin thoughtfully. He looks like he hasn’t shaved in a few days and the scruff trailing down to his neck is hotter than it should be. “Can I make a suggestion?” Kris asks after another moment of deliberation.

With a shrug Junmyeon agrees. “As long as it’s still Bulbasaur.”

Kris chuckles. Junmyeon had forgotten how delicious the sound was and has to clench his fists to keep from shivering. He thinks Kris notices him do it, but Junmyeon’s not sure. Where’s Baekhyun to be an observant wingman when Junmyeon needs him?

It’s like Kris can read Junmyeon’s mind because he knocks against the stool as he walks around the reception desk and suddenly wonders, “Where’s your friend?”

“Busy,” Junmyeon answers. “Thankfully.”

“I dunno,” Kris comments, scratching at his chin again as he directs Junmyeon to a consultation room with his other hand. “I sort of liked him.”

Junmyeon shakes his head. “You say that now but…” he responds, voice trailing off when he gets distracted by the various tattoo designs taped up all over what is clearly Kris’ personal office. “Oh! I’m Junmyeon, by the way,” he introduces himself, slipping off his light jacket while Kris settles into the seat behind the drawing table that’s there in lieu of a traditional desk. Junmyeon coughs awkwardly. “Not, you know, Mr. Herbologist.”

Kris nods, creating a little steeple with his fingers as he leans back in his chair with a long look at Junmyeon. “I know. I wasn’t going to say anything when you stopped by last week since I didn’t think you’d be back here, but,” he pauses and Junmyeon interrupts him suddenly.

“You’re that bastard’s friend from college! Wu Yifan!”

The expression on Kris’ face is sheepish and apologetic at the same time. “Just roommate, actually. And I go by Kris now.” He taps the plaque placed at the front of the table that reads “K.Wu Tattoo Emporium – Owner” and says “I studied abroad in Canada for a bit. The Western name adds to the image.”

Frankly, Junmyeon doesn’t give a damn about Kris Wu Yifan’s image. All he can think about is the unpleasant twist of fate that has him getting an “I’m over you!” tattoo from someone who’s friends with his ex. It’s more embarrassing than any of the compliments drunk Junmyeon blurted out last time, and it’s more painful than Junmyeon cares to admit.

“I’m not sure this is such a good idea,” he concludes, his words filling the empty silence that fell over them once Kris stopped trying to fill it up with mindless chatter. “Thanks for your time though,” Junmyeon says formally, already pulling his jacket back over his shoulders and readying himself to stand and leave.

“No, no,” Kris hurries to stand as well. “I’m sorry he was such a dick and cheated on you, and I’ve got a really great idea for your tattoo, okay? Let me at least show you before you decide you don’t want to be here.”

“It’s a little too late for that,” Junmyeon murmurs to himself, but he sits back down obediently. He keeps his jacket on, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow to tell Kris to get on with it already.

His impatience has the tall, muscular, tattooed man looking completely unsure. It’s brief, but Junmyeon’s selfishly glad he’s not the only one feeling a little uncomfortable by the unexpected situation.

“Um, right,” Kris clears his throat, gathering his confidence back to himself like a protective cloak. “Would you consider getting the piece done somewhere else? Your shoulder maybe?”

Junmyeon admits he hasn’t really thought about it, but the so-called tramp stamp was more of Baekhyun’s idea anyway. “I’m not attached to any place in particular,” he says. “I just need to be able to wear a shirt that hides it when I’m working.”

Kris brightens considerably at that and nods as he riffles through the collection of drawings on the table to pick out a sketch that Junmyeon falls instantly in love with.

“That’s amazing,” he whispers, awed by Kris’ tribal-esque take that turns the Pokémon into the badass creature Junmyeon knows it to be.

“I—” Kris starts to say something then thinks better of it. “Thanks.” There’s an awkward pause that has both men looking at anything other than each other until Junmyeon sighs.

“So what now?” he asks.

His question has Kris snapping into professional mode almost visibly. “If you’re good with this design then I’ve got a couple of forms for you to sign and then we can get started.” Junmyeon follows almost blindly when Kris makes his way out of the office and back to the reception desk to pull out the forms he mentioned. The Korean man takes a moment to read over what he’s signing before handing the completed papers back to Kris. He again follows the artist, this time to a different room which has all the tools Kris will need to do Junmyeon’s tattoo.

“Do you have a beater on underneath your shirt or…?” Uncomfortable Kris comes back with a vengeance, particularly when Junmyeon rolls his eyes and just pulls his shirt over his head without comment. He’s sure Kris sees a lot of skin, given the nature of his profession, and it’s not like Junmyeon’s embarrassed by his own abs. The room’s a little chilly and Junmyeon shivers at the blast of an air conditioner somewhere above his head.

“It’s really not a big deal,” he tells Kris, who’s standing in the doorway and gaping at Junmyeon in shock. “But it is really cold in here. Think we could get on with this, please?” Junmyeon doesn’t mean to sound so impatient, but he’s still not entirely over the fact that Kris knows his ex, even though Kris has been nothing but nice from the moment Junmyeon walked in.

“Sure,” Kris agrees easily. He waits for Junmyeon to get relatively comfortable in the chair then grabs a sheet of tracing paper and a skin marker. “I’m going to draw the design onto your shoulder first, then I’ll go over it with the needle.”

Junmyeon stays silent but bites his lip hard between his teeth when Kris places a warm and steadying palm against Junmyeon’s shoulder. Junmyeon doesn’t know much about the process of getting a tattoo but something tells him the artist is usually wearing gloves at this point. Kris isn’t and it worries Junmyeon how much he doesn’t care, especially not with the pleasant roughness of Kris’ hand on his skin.

Kris uncaps the marker and holds the pen lid between his own teeth as he leans over Junmyeon and begins to draw. His breath is hot on Junmyeon’s skin, and the smaller man is embarrassed by the tiny ridges of goosebumps as they break out across his upper arms. It’s because the room is cold, he tells himself, but Junmyeon’s lying if he thinks he’s not attracted to the man sitting next to him.

Kris is hot, sure. His shaved head and the tattoos creeping up his neck and down his arms give off an edgy vibe that Junmyeon finds hopelessly sexy, and even Kris’ eyebrows with the glint of a piercing sort of turn Junmyeon on. But Kris is also surprisingly gentle for someone so tall and obviously muscular, and he’s been unfailingly kind and patient with Junmyeon, despite the fact that Junmyeon is the ex-boyfriend of one of Kris’ sort-of friends. He’s talented too, obviously, and driven enough to open his own tattoo shop. In short, Kris is kind of perfect, and Junmyeon hates that the only reason he has to see the other man is his cheating ex.

They’re not even dating anymore and _he_ still manages to ruin the good things in Junmyeon’s life. The irony of this makes Junmyeon snort, startling Kris out of his concentration. Junmyeon apologizes but the damage is done and when Kris goes back to tracing along Junmyeon’s skin he takes the time to glance up at Junmyeon’s face every few seconds as he draws.

“Shouldn’t you be concentrating on the design?” Junmyeon asks, voice soft and breathless from their close proximity.

Kris smiles around the marker cap and removes it to answer, just as softly, “Just wanting to make sure you’re still good, Junmyeon.” It’s the first time he’s said Junmyeon’s name and the sound of it rolling off his tongue is too much for Junmyeon to handle all of a sudden. He glances down at the design markered into his skin, sees that there’s still a good bit left for Kris to finish, and swallows hard.

“I can’t do this,” he mumbles, the words barely discernible over the radio playing out at the entrance. “I can’t do this,” he repeats when Kris’ steady movements don’t immediately stop. Junmyeon can see the confusion on Kris’ face, can practically hear the unasked “Did I do something?” as it appears in Kris’ expression. He feels badly about it, but Junmyeon still can’t do it. He can’t sit here, in Kris’ shop, and wonder if Kris would be as conscientious and careful a lover as he is an artist, or wonder what Kris’ hands would feel like on other parts of Junmyeon’s body, or even what the lips that breathed so hotly against Junmyeon’s skin would taste like when Junmyeon got them pressed against his own.

It’s too soon for Junmyeon to be falling for someone else. He’s too hurt still.

Junmyeon remembers to tug his shirt back over his head, but forgets his jacket and doesn’t say goodbye when he leaves. Kris remains seated on a stool in the little tattooing room and wonders what went wrong.

~~~

Junmyeon calls first this time. It’s to let Kris know he’s coming in, but also to schedule an actual appointment because Junmyeon’s not sure his luck will hold out for a third chance meeting with the tall, attractive tattoo artist who makes his heart beat far too fast. Junmyeon likes a little structure in his life; that and it’s easier to come up with a flimsy excuse for last time over the phone.

“I thought I should take 24 hours to think it over,” he tells the receptionist who answers his call. “Having it traced on suddenly made it very real.”

The receptionist laughs and puts him down for an appointment the next day. “You’re lucky,” the boy says, “Kris had a last minute cancellation.”

Junmyeon’s done a little research on Kris Wu since the last time too. And the receptionist is right: Junmyeon really is lucky Kris has any time at all.

“I’ll be in then,” he responds affirmatively before he hangs up the phone.

Junmyeon ends up being a full 30 minutes early to his 11am appointment. He’s nervous and embarrassed, but mostly just sorry for running out like that. Kris was being sweet to him and Junmyeon ruined it.

“It’s been a long time since someone treated me so well,” he confesses abruptly, stumbling over himself to get out the explanation before Kris thinks he’s a total coward or a flake.

Kris chuckles and Junmyeon does his best not to swoon. Again. It’s nice, he thinks, to be able to make the other man laugh like that. Junmyeon likes it especially because he never feels like Kris is laughing at him directly even though Junmyeon’s given the artist _more_ than enough opportunities to do so.

“Anyway,” Junmyeon finishes with an apology, “I’m sorry for running out like that. Wasn’t cool.”

Kris leans forward as if to tell Junmyeon a secret. He’s sitting behind the entrance desk like he was waiting for Junmyeon, like he somehow knew Junmyeon would be early.

“Honestly?” Kris says it like a question and Junmyeon leans forward too, unconsciously. “I’m surprised you stayed as long as you did. I don’t know what he did to make you so skittish,” he adds, hands up with their palms slowly extending toward Junmyeon, “But I’m not going to hurt you.”

Junmyeon smiles slightly. He knows Kris isn’t talking about anything other than the time they spend together as Junmyeon gets his tattoo, but he’d like to think Kris means a little more than that. They could be friends, maybe?

“Except for the needle,” a head pops out from one of the rooms and Junmyeon recognizes the voice he spoke to on the phone. The boy shoots Junmyeon an appraising glance. “That’ll hurt.”

To Kris’ surprise, Junmyeon shrugs. “I can handle a little pain,” he tells the assistant who’s raising an eyebrow at Junmyeon like he doesn’t believe that for a second. “Besides, I’ve heard Kris is the best.”

It’s Junmyeon’s turn to be surprised when Kris flushes. He’s a grown man with tattoos and a piercing and a badass haircut, but when he blushes Junmyeon just wants to pinch the taller’s cheeks and coo at him.

“Oh he is,” the receptionist-cum-assistant agrees with a knowing smile directed toward his boss. “Very gentle and talented with his hands.”

Both Junmyeon and Kris are blushing now and Junmyeon is immensely thankful when Kris recovers enough to glare at his assistant. “Thanks, Jongdae,” he says, not sounding at all grateful. “You’ve been so helpful.” The boy smirks, even when Kris practically growls at him to get back to work.

“Have fun!” Jongdae teases, his eyebrows waggling furiously.

Kris apologizes for his assistant the moment he’s got Junmyeon back in the same tattooing room they used last time. “He’s good at what he does but he’s sort of a brat.”

“Baekhyun would love him,” Junmyeon says as he reassures Kris that he’s not upset. He doesn’t tell the other this, but Jongdae was a wonderful distraction from Junmyeon’s embarrassment over his behavior on his previous two visits. Now he feels like he can get his tattoo without galloping out of the room. Probably. He hopes.

“Ah yes,” Kris murmurs as he snaps gloves on his hands this time and studiously avoids the white of Junmyeon’s chest as it contrasts with the pink of his bare nipple. Junmyeon could have worn a wife beater under his shirt this time but he chose not to. Possibly on purpose, but who’s to tell? “Your _friend_.”

“Friend,” Junmyeon corrects without the emphasis Kris added to imply Baekhyun was something more. “I wouldn’t date him for,” he pauses to think about it and decides he likes the warm roughness of Kris’ hands much more than the clinical detached feel of the gloves. Junmyeon swallows. “I wouldn’t date him,” he repeats, “for a million dollars _and_ if he were the last man on earth.”

“You like him that much, huh?” Kris teases absentmindedly. He’s very focused on the fading lines he drew a few days earlier.

Junmyeon turns his head toward Kris to answer and finds his face much closer to the top of the other’s head than he’s expecting. “Not my type,” he answers breathlessly. Kris’ hair, what little there is of it, smells good and Junmyeon’s having a hard time not taking a silent sniff. Kris hums in understanding—he’s got the marker cap between his teeth again and he can’t say much around it.

Kris raises an eyebrow, interested. “Oh really? He’s small though, and sort of pretty, you know. A lot like—” He catches himself then, right before saying the name of Junmyeon’s ex, and Junmyeon’s immensely grateful for the small courtesy.

“Too loud,” Junmyeon clarifies. “Both of them.”

Junmyeon hears an “Ah,” but he’s suddenly distracted by the sharpness of the needle at the end of the tattoo gun that Kris is cleaning now that he’s finished penning the design onto Junmyeon’s skin.

“This’ll hurt a little,” Kris agrees with the fear he reads on Junmyeon’s face, “But you’ll be fine. I promise.”

Junmyeon’s watched enough medical dramas to be skeptical when someone promises that something isn’t going to hurt. Still, past the tattoos and the haircut Kris screams trustworthy, and that’s enough for Junmyeon to nod. He can handle this.

He’s right. At first he clenches his hands into fists in his lap, but the needle doesn’t hurt as much as it looks like it should. Honestly it’s the whirring of the gun that scares Junmyeon more but he can handle that too.

“No offense,” Kris murmurs, “but you’re much calmer than expected.” It’s already been at least fifteen minutes and by this point Junmyeon is completely relaxed. The room’s not even as cold as it was last time and he’s sure he’d be asleep if Kris’ breath on his skin wasn’t so distracting.

He yawns before he can respond and Kris smiles. Junmyeon thinks the other man would be chuckling once again if he weren’t concentrating so intently.

“I’ve got a high tolerance for pain.” He sort of nods at the tattooing gun and adds, “This actually kind of tickles.”

Kris shakes his head, obviously amazed. Junmyeon likes that he can surprise the other man like this.

“You know,” he mentions sleepily sometime at about 30 minutes in, “if Baek were here he’d make some lewd comment about my pain tolerance and then I’d be too embarrassed to get this finished.” He turns his head to the side to observe Kris as he works. “Then Bulby wouldn’t have any feet and it would be sad.”

It’s a lot of work to stay seated upright when Junmyeon’s tired like this, but the heat in Kris’ gaze has him suddenly sitting straight.

“I can comment on it,” Kris teases, watching appreciatively as Junmyeon’s blush runs red all the way down his neck. “If you’d like.”

“That’s at least a second date conversation, Mister,” Junmyeon teases. He sounds awkward to his own ears, but Kris is smiling again, big and gummy like Junmyeon’s said something to make his day.

“How about a first date then?” Kris asks. He looks suddenly uncomfortable. “If, I mean, you’re okay with that?” He’s blushing hard and biting his lip between his teeth as he stares at the tattoo while he works. “I don’t know how long it’s been since,” he pauses, “your break up.”

“He’s a dick,” Junmyeon says, instead of accepting or rejecting Kris’ invitation outright. “He was a dick before we dated, while we dated, and I’ve no doubt he’s a dick now.” Kris makes a face like he’s considering this. It’s not what he wants to hear but he can’t deny that what Junmyeon says about his college roommate is true.

“I’ll go out with you,” Junmyeon agrees then. “But on one condition.”

Kris turns off the gun to meet Junmyeon’s eyes. His expression flits between surprise and happiness and an adorable flustered shyness. It’s sweet, just like Kris. “Name it,” the tattoo artist says.

“Don’t be a dick.”

(Junmyeon recounts the conversation to Baekhyun later as the latter lies on his bed and proves completely useless when it comes to helping Junmyeon pick out a first date outfit. Baekhyun laughs hard enough to fall off Junmyeon’s bed with a loud thump and a groan before he calls out from his spot on the floor “Please tell me he said something like…”)

“I have one,” Kris allows with a wink. “But I won’t be one.”

(“Dear god, I think I love him,” Baekhyun chortles. Junmyeon sort of agrees.)

Junmyeon snorts on his laughter as the gun whirs to life again. “That was a _terrible_ line,” he tells Kris, but they’re both smiling and they don’t stop smiling, even when Kris finishes up Junmyeon’s Bulbasaur tattoo.

“You’ll have to come back in a couple of days for the final touches,” Kris informs him as he bandages up Junmyeon’s shoulder. He’s taken off the gloves by this point and he chances a soft brush of his fingers along the skin of Junmyeon’s neck. When he steps away, bandaging complete, he shoots a look to ask “Was that okay?” Junmyeon grins and nods shyly.

“Dinner before then?” Junmyeon suggests, surprising Kris and himself by being so forward.

Kris stretches, raising his muscular arms high above his head and making the tattoos there ripple. Junmyeon’s mouth goes suddenly dry.

“Dinner,” Kris agrees. “Sure.”

Junmyeon follows Kris to the reception desk to pay, but then feels an unusual spurt of courage and leans across the glass to peck Kris on the cheek. He yells a flustered “Thank you!” over his shoulder as he runs out and this time manages to forget both his credit card _and_ the jacket he left behind before.

Jongdae is not shy about laughing at him when Junmyeon realizes a few hours later that he left without Kris’ number, _too_ , and that he has to call the tattoo shop to get it.

“You’re a hot mess,” Jongdae tells him. Yeah, Junmyeon’s aware.

(“It’s cute,” Kris tells him sometime between their third date and their twelfth when Junmyeon confides that he’s surprised Kris has stuck around for so long. “You’re cute,” Kris adds. Junmyeon’s blush is powerful, but it pales in comparison to the conciliatory kiss Kris gives him as they snuggle up together watching a movie on Kris’ couch.

“Not cute,” Junmyeon pouts once Kris pulls away.

“Like Bulbasaur,” Kris teases against Junmyeon’s lips, almost like he knows what’s coming.

Junmyeon pounces.)


End file.
